Duality
by ToxicQuicksilver
Summary: I died. I was reincarnated and knew my fate. At least some part of it, as well as some of the people that'd share it. I was sent to make a difference.
1. Reincarnated

_Make a difference._

* * *

Waking up seemed like a challenge. Or more of a goal I'd never achieve.

But I did.

And it filled me with such joy, I thought I'd die from laughing out so loudly, with tears stinging my eyes from the pure happiness.

I survived. A feat in itself, yet what kept me from celebrating was that I couldn't move. Only very jerky moves. As I opened my eyes, I felt the unease settle in deep inside of me and I broke out crying. I merely saw blurry blobs.

The accident must've seriously left some brain damage for me to be so numb to my body, as well as my poor eyesight. The numbness and jerky moves could be also consequences of being in a coma for a while. I was just grateful my family hasn't given up on me and kept me plugged at the machines for as long as I've probably been. I truly wished to see them, and they may have been at my side when I woke up, but I couldn't see them and before long, I was too tired and fell asleep.

* * *

Only later did I find out I haven't been in a coma or just woken up after a long surgery with a damaged brain.

I was a baby. Physically speaking, I was almost ready to be classified as a toddler, seeing as my growing motor-skills were making me able to roll around. And my sight has come back fully through the first five months of living my new life.

The idea still made me scoff loudly, even though it might have looked like a wrinkling of the nose while I made an odd sound in such a small form. The women around me always thought I was a cute little marshmallow. Or I hoped they did, because I couldn't understand a word they were saying. They were talking in a foreign language, and the name of it was at the tip of my tongue, but somehow I wasn't able to remember at first. Not until a child, around the age of six, called me Imouto. I choked on my spit and did a double take. It was definitely Japanese.

And the kid was a small girl with blue eyes and black hair. She didn't seem Asian, but I could be wrong.

She started blabbering to me, making me feel like I was retarded for not understanding her. What caught my attention was when she pointed at herself and said her name, before pointing at me and saying my name. Boa Hancock. Boa Cassia.

I must have fainted from the many thoughts that had run through my mind at the revelation.

* * *

And when I woke up, there was a new face staring me down. Big green eyes matching the green locks falling into the face of one of the Gorgon sisters, Sandersonia.

I felt the need to curse my luck and try getting into contact with Death, or some high-ranking deity that must've sent my sorry ass into the world of One Piece. Don't get me wrong, I felt pretty damn excited about the fact that I was in an anime series, or manga, but the dangers were unmistakable.

I knew I was on the island of Amazon Lily, together with my new sisters. Then I was struck by grief, the thought of family causing the image of four people popping up in my mind. A brunette woman in her forties, a man with straight light brown hair and piercing eyes, and two young girls standing before them. Both with brown hair like that of the man, and similar eyes as him. My _old_ family. Mother, father and older sister. Bianca, Mark and Anna. A typical family, nothing amiss with the image. But the fact was, everything was amiss. For as of now, I wasn't Judy anymore. I was Cassia, one of the future Gorgon sisters.

The thought of the Gorgon sisters brought my heart into cardiac arrest. I needed to make sure they wouldn't be caught by the World Nobles. That they won't undergo what they did in the original story.

It was the usual thing anyone would do, if a person happened to be _reincarnated_ into a _fictional_ world you knew of. Anyone would change something, be it accidentally or planned out. If someone had sent you somewhere, it was to make a difference. Which were the exact words I could swear I've heard before I ultimately died, or when I woke up. Nonetheless, my mere existence had made a difference. There wouldn't be three Gorgon sisters, but four. If I survived for long enough to be one of them.

"Imouto," I looked up and met the green eyes of another older sister, Hancock not too far behind her, pouting just as the greenhead did. She was reaching through the wooden poles of my crib, towards my cheek. I gave a defiant glare and rolled out of the way, then sat up and puffed my cheeks out.

I may be older than both of them mentally, acting my physical age wouldn't hurt either of us. They just wanted their little sister to play with them, or just my attention.

Hancock seemed pleased as she said something that made Sandersonia blush while Hancock looked smug before moving to stand next to her, already reaching for me like the other one before her.

Were they having a small competition on who was my favorite sister? Because I wanted to play too.

I latched onto one of her fingers and nibbled on them. She made a disgusted expression before joining Sandersonia's giggling.

"Cute," a voice cooed and my attention went to a woman I've already seen a number of times. A woman in her late twenties with short black hair, orange eyes and the elegance of some sort of royalty. Another woman was usually not too far behind, and usually called her Yoko-sama. Which had left me with the belief of the woman being very important in Amazon Lily.

"Hancock, Sandersonia," the authority underneath the soft voice was undeniable.

"Okaa-san!" the joy radiating from my two sisters felt so powerful, it should've scorched me. The two girls ran to Yoko and wrapped their arms around the woman's thighs, the highest they could wrap their arms around.

Wait...Okaa-san!?

"My girls," Yoko smiled and I was staring at them, probably with a question mark floating above my head. Or multiple question marks. Somehow the woman turned her attention to me and gave a cheeky grin. "We don't want our little addition be left out." The grin only seemed to widen at my squirming as the three slowly walked towards me with a predatory air surrounding them. It wasn't like in the anime where you could see it, I could merely feel and imagine it. The whole world wasn't as anime-ish, and female body proportions weren't as disbelieving as the series let on. Sure, most women were curvy like that one Jenner sister, Kylie, in my previous world, with some curvier and bustier, but they didn't have twig-like waists.

I was brought out of my head when two arms snaked around myself and I was heaved up onto Yoko's hip, an arm securely around me while they all hugged the daylight out of the other. It felt nice, and I was glad that I was born into a loving family. I could've had bad luck and be born as an orphan, or into a family of _nobles_. That would've been interesting. Like it had been the case with Sabo.

They'd have gone insane by the time I was ready to pack and get the hell out of the house of a 'noble' family.

Yes, I was lucky compared to others. At that time I've forgotten about the Celestial Dragons.

* * *

It was a few days after my birthday that our mother gave birth to one Boa Marigold.

The kid was a crybaby, and seemed to take pleasure in wailing at ungodly hours. I was unfortunate to be awoken by the sound of them because I had the privilege to be sharing my bedroom with the shrilly little thing.

And barely a week after her birth, mother fell ill and succumbed to the illness that had befallen her. My birthday wish by now had made me realize how stupid I had been. I've wished for the happiness to last, that the series' information regarding them had been faulty, or that I've made enough of an impact to change things for the better. I haven't. It was a bitter pill to take. Sandersonia seemed to take it the hardest. She looked like the life has been drained out of her, yet she took care of me and Marigold. Very good care. She was a sweetheart and suffered in silence, but the time she spent with little Mari brightened her days.

Hancock didn't take it well either, naturally. The two were old enough to understand simpler things, and that their mom won't be coming back to them was terrifying indeed. She wanted to take Yoko's role as our guardian, with Sandersonia being the nurturing one, and her the over-protective one.

Meaning, when I started to walk and run, she was always close, like my shadow, if not closer. It was endearing in its own way, but I needed my freedom.

And I was getting good at sneaking around.

I've yet to say my first word, but I was contemplating on saying Nee-chan when my older sisters were both present. Back to sneaking around. I found a room in the building we lived in, filled with a lot of books. I figured it was the time to start speaking and request being taught how to read and later on, to write. My gut feeling told me that both Hancock and Sandersonia would be strict teachers for such a task and they'd work me to the bone.

Currently, I was climbing out of my crib, which was sadly next to Mari's, intending to slip through Hancock's hands like sand.

"Cassia..." a disapproving voice said, one I was more than familiar with by now. I sheepishly grinned at my oldest sister, with an amused yet worried Sandersonia behind the blackhead. "You could hurt yourself by trying to climb like that."

I quickly let go and plopped down onto the soft blankets I was usually curled up like a kitten. "Sowy..." I muttered, gaze on the floor, before I realized I let myself slip.

Although it was worth it, going by the shit-eating grins both sisters sported. Even Mari gurgled happily in the neighboring crib. The two got me out of the crib and hugged me tightly and I swear Hancock's eyes had glistered with unshed tears when they scooped me into their fierce embrace. I thought what the hell and added a bonus. "Nee-chan!"

The way they reacted was priceless.

* * *

"Cassia!" I ran away from the Old Nyon's nagging and laughed at the offended look that crossed her face.

I was three and a real troublemaker.

She's been trying to teach me about herbs and some kind of healing teas, but I could barely sit longer than an hour, listening to her lectures that somehow always turned into nagging on how to behave. Hancock didn't fully approve of my pent up energy and how I used it, but I could see she enjoyed it just as much as Mari. The girl was my height already, and a pretty thing. I've always loved the many colors hair in anime could be.

It was funny to see it in real life. Like Sandersonia's green locks. Those were just as green as some of the snakes, even vivider.

I had Hancock and Yoko's black hair, coupled with copper-colored eyes. But I definitely had the same nose and lips as Hancock, both of us getting them from Yoko.

Bless the woman that gave birth to all of us. I still yearned to see her walk into Mari and I's room with a motherly smile before being tackle-hugged by us. The four of us were close-knit siblings, and even if by blood we were probably only half-sisters, I embraced them like I would've embraced Anna or anyone I viewed as family. Those three became the sole focus of my existence. And my protectiveness over Mari was nothing like Hancock's over me. I was constantly around the orange-head, often calling her carrot-top, even though she wasn't yet understanding I was teasing her. Then there was the Elder Nyon, who wasn't the one to take care of us, but often came by and checked if we needed anything and taught us things.

She was the one who taught me how to read and then write. But the woman wanted me to be an overachiever. I still felt hand-cramps at the mention of Nyon's teacher-mod. That old had was cray-cray.

My sneaking abilities also reached new heights as it was handy when it came to avoiding Nyon on a lecture-rampage, as well as the women on the island after I pulled harmless pranks. I mean, nobody ever came to harm, I shouldn't be getting those scoldings over and over again. I was three, they should know better than to try convincing a stubborn child like me into obedience. I wasn't Hancock, the little angel. Even Sandersonia joined once or twice, depending on how playful she felt like being, but Hancock had finesse and politeness. She wasn't strict per see, but it was often taken as strictness by Mari. The little devil was worse than me. She might be well on her way to becoming a little sadist with how she planned out pranks, the perfect mastermind.

One wouldn't have expected her to be cunning. Especially not when she was barely two years old. And as tall as me...

My height was a sore subject. I would soon be the smallest out of us, which didn't sit well with me. Hancock was six years older than me, so naturally she was taller, as well as slimmer since she didn't possess much of the baby-fat children did by now. Sandersonia was also older than me by four years and taller than Hancock by an inch, for now. And Mari would grow to be a tall woman.

Back to when I was thinking about how each of them possessed traits that haven't been seen in the series. They weren't characters anymore, and I couldn't simply analyze their background and theorize how the events changed each of them.

Each of them had their favorite color, food, song, book, possession...Things that weren't important in the series. Only their background has been important enough to be mentioned about all of them, with going a bit in depth with Hancock's character as she later played an important role for Luffy. She was the one to lead Law to Amazon Lily where they rested for a while, and then Rayleigh found them there and took Luffy under his wing.

I shuddered when I remembered what could happen to us. The Celestial Dragons...

What could I do? I didn't know when they were taken as slaves, or where. I just knew they were on a ship at the time, that they escaped because Fisher Tiger had gone on a rampage and that they were found by the Elder Nyon, Shakki and Rayleigh.

"Cassia~" Mari poked my cheek and I scowled, swatting her hand away. All of them liked to poke my cheek, although I wasn't all that different. I usually tried to tickle them, or mock-fight with them, usually just Mari, because the other two would clearly win and I was a rather sore loser at times. "Play wih me!" she still had a bit of trouble with her speech, but it was better than two months ago. Nyon took note of Mari's difficulty and quickly interfered. The old cot said I was bad influence and that Mari usually just listened to instructions she got from me for pranks than try to talk. I might have broken a teacup on accident. But really? Mari spoke just fine when needed, like the times _she_ schemed our pranks.

Not me.

"Sure," I agreed on a whim and took her hand in mine as we walked down the street, a few women cooing at our adorable appearance, but some shot us playful glares all the while giggling when they thought we didn't pay attention to them. Obviously the latter ones have experience with us and wouldn't trust our innocent doe-y eyes, or the puppy expression. At least not at first. They'd soon giggle and wave their little 'pettiness' off and we'd be back to when they thought we were adorable little angels. Until we struck again.

I internally cackled as a small girl ran off into the other direction at the sight of the two of us.

Usually I didn't go very far, but I wanted to see the jungles of Amazon Lily. I glanced at Mari and nodded to myself. We wouldn't go very far, explore a bit and then come back.

In the end, I ended up being treated by Nyon because I fell off a tree and a branch cut my arm deep enough to bleed a bit. It wasn't anything serious, but by the thunderous expression on Hancock's face, as well as Sandersonia's tight-lipped state, I might be screwed.

Indeed I was. After a good ol' lecture, I wasn't allowed outside the backward for longer than three hours a day. Similar to being grounded.

I used the three hours a day to exercise. I ran laps, stretched out stiff muscles and tried a few yoga poses that I could remember. The Elder Nyon had given me a weirded out look, but I didn't focus on that. I needed to get in shape. The little fall in the jungle had been a slight wake-up call. I didn't know if we would face any danger before the Celestial Dragons' situation, and we could all be hurt. Not anything fatal or to leave scars behind, but still. The series haven't ever gone into depth with many characters so I didn't know what would come our way. Not theirs or mines, _ours_. Like hell I'd leave them alone if they'd be going through horrible things. I might not be the sanest person out there, but I was stable and able to provide some kind of stability for them to cling to.

I did fear I'd be caught and made a slave too, and what might follow, but I couldn't shy away after bonding so strongly with those three. I would be a coward and I might not be able to shoulder the guilt which would explode in my face if only those three would get taken by the snot-nosed motherfuckers. It'd be like I had a hand in their kidnapping as I didn't stop it from happening and nor did I get dragged with them to provide some kind of reassurance. It'd eat me alive.

* * *

And then the day came when we got kidnapped by the World Nobles.


	2. Kidnapped

I hummed, walking hand-in-hand with Hancock was a nice change. One would usually find me in our backyard exercising, pranking someone on my own or with Mari, and bothering all my sisters. There were those occurrences, when I troubled the old cot Nyon long enough for her to grow some more gray strands.

It was entertaining to watch her lose her shit after poking her, straightening and pointedly looking down at her, responding with 'mou' when she said something to me...

There were multiple ways to get her to react after a while.

She must've told Hancock about my new hobby, because I got reprimanded and a flick to the back of my ear. I always contemplated on adopting Uchiha Itachi's way of poking his little brother and doing it to Mari, but honestly, I didn't bother.

I tugged at Hancock's hand to catch her attention. She looked down at me and I puffed my cheeks, trying not to pout at the height difference. My older sister must've understood my small flicker of jealously since she ended up chuckling, but she gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. She was a great sister to have and I couldn't help but slowly replace my previous sister with the three I was gifted with this time around. "Don't worry, you'll grow, squirt." I scowled and then chose to get over it and ask her what I've been wondering.

"Where are we going anyway?"

The brilliant smile I was rewarded with could've broken a hundred men's hearts. And it will in the future. Only that she wouldn't be smiling for real, when I compared the memory of her in the anime with the person who was walking next to me, ready to answer my question.

"The Kuja warriors are about to leave and the four of us were invited to go with them, with Elder Nyon's approval. Sandersonia is probably getting Marigold at the moment." I felt my whole body drain of all energy and the lightly tanned complexion I've acquired over the years. The Gorgon sisters were taken on one of such trips. Was it their first one? Or on another? Hancock must've noticed my stillness and was quick to form a conclusion.

"If you're scared we don't need to go!" but I could see that she wanted to go. She's been allowed into the jungles since my fifth birthday, which meant for more than a year by now.

It was part of the initiation into becoming a warrior. At first you'd have to express the interest into becoming one to one of the Kuja pirates, then when they thought you'd be ready they'd give you a few lessons on the outside world and all the things imaginable. When a girl got her first period, the girl was ready to be accepted into the community and is considered an adult. The first time I heard of it, I thought they were all idiots, for thinking someone was an adult when their body started maturing. Which was a belief in other cultures in my previous world too, but I never thought it was plausible. They'd marry a thirteen year old girl to a young adult, or someone older, and think it was right.

I knew it wasn't the case here, but it was difficult to accept a new culture.

Back on topic. When a girl got her first period she was considered an adult. At least in some ways, because every inhabitant of Amazon Lily only got the real responsibilities of an adult at the age of sixteen. You could join the Kuja pirates before that age and get most of those responsibilities.

You'd have to watch over the islanders while you were on the island, make sure the buildings won't fall apart, provide food...The ones who didn't join the Kuja pirate crew usually had jobs that fit their talents well. So if one was proficient with tailoring and sewing, she'd be our tailor and the go-to person for clothes. Others were good at making medicine out of the herbs in the safer areas of the jungle, those would be our healers, although most didn't just make medicine. They were good doctors actually. They knew how to treat wounds and more dangerous injuries, but they were no miracle-makers. None of us expected them to be, since we were cut off from the rest of the world, meaning, our technology was a bit behind. Kids here were simply kids, after their twelfth birthday most started an apprenticeship with one of the jobs we offered. Outsiders were not allowed. Not that they reached this far into the Calm Belt.

Nobody judged you and most of us didn't really go to a fancy school noble families' children did. Wait, no. Those brats usually had their personal instructors for education. But they'd be narrow-minded as their parents would definitely make sure their kids knew everything about their families' history and business, and how to take over later on. I was sure of that. Back to Amazon Lily's education. We knew how to read and write, as well as some common topics like herbs and survival in the wilderness. We _were_ surrounded with a dense jungle after all.

Back to Hancock.

She got her first period at age eleven. Not uncommon, but I wished it would've chosen another time. She's been reading into our warriors for a while too, and I knew we'd be going out to sea for her initiation. Then she'd start training with some of them. And join their ranks when they thought she fulfilled their criteria.

"Cass?" I was flicked on my ear and I flinched, massaging my sensitive little cute ears. Yes. I very much liked my dainty ears, they were adorable.

"Yeah?" I replied after glaring her down a notch. Her concerned expression morphed into fondness, but she was still worried about something. No. Someone. She was worried about me because I've definitely taken too long to reply to her proposal of not going.

Even though I could be a righteous asshole, I wouldn't shatter her chance of becoming a true Kuja warrior a bit earlier than most. It might have also been because our mother had clearly been respected and a well-known warrior. I didn't like that they were playing favorites and giving her a small amount of special treatment, but the pieces were falling into place and they just chose to give her a chance to prove her value as an good asset to their ranks. Even though I didn't like it, I accepted it because it was my sister they were giving special treatment. Usually girls went on such a trip between thirteen and fifteen.

And I was sure the rest of us was allowed to join for Hancock's sake. She may have stated she wouldn't be going without us, the way she could become demanding at times.

No wonder the tittle as the Empress was handed to her. She was a born leader and knew how to make good deals. It's part of how she made sure Amazon Lily would be secure from the World Government, meaning the marines as well. She would be powerful too. Having the brains and beauty both, although her mind might become mushy in the presence of Luffy.

"I do want to go. It's just that I felt overwhelmed with the idea of seeing what's behind the jungle." Which was also the truth. Although I was mostly overwhelmed by the fact that we'd all be slaves by the end of the trip, if things went south like they did in the series.

"Ehh, don't you worry. Han-nee will protect the three of you. I'm going to be a Kuja warrior soon," she pointed at herself proudly, chin held high, almost facing the sky above us. "Anyone who tries to hurt my sisters will feel wrath greater than that of the Sea Kings." I giggled. She had used the name I called her on my first few tries of calling her by her name and adding Nee-san at the end. Of course I shortened it to Han and just added -nee to it. It was easier to say. It was the name I called her after waking up from a nightmare about the World Nobles. Seriously, the girl had a mother's intuition when something was wrong with any of us and knew which one was in trouble. She was a little mother-hen in her own way.

"Then I'm glad." I tried to sound as relieved as I could manage, but it didn't ease my worries.

My gut feeling told me to stay on the island, but I also wasn't sure if it could be trusted. I chose to go with the flow.

* * *

When the ship left the canals going through the island, I was hit by the smell of salt and simply something labeled _ocean_. It was like another word for freedom, because I felt like a bird on its first journey through the skies. Still young and naive.

"Marigold, Cassia, look!" Sandersonia pointed at the glistering blue ocean and grinned, leaning forward as if she wished to plunge into the depths of the Calm Belt's waters. I sauntered to her and pulled her back, feeling like I was the older one between us, which rarely seemed to happen with my mischievous nature. Mari wasn't too far behind me, almost a head taller and casting shadows onto my small frame. I ignored the stab of irrational annoyance and huffed at Sandersonia's questioning expression.

"You were close to falling over the railing," I explained and she blushed slightly before thanking me. I could feel the slight horror running through her and wrapped my slim hands around her form in reassurance. "I'd have done the same probably."

"If you weren't such a midget."

I scowled and sent a hard stare over my shoulder at one of the strongest warriors Amazon Lily homed. Amastris. She was tall and had a toned body, long blond tresses in a loose ponytail with side-bangs framing her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a startling teal and her sun-kissed skin easily made her one of the most beautiful warriors I've come to know. Slithering behind her was a long black and blue colored snake, showing off its impressive fangs to us in an act of fierceness. Hancock had been impressed at the snake's display and was quick to wish for one of her own. Of course she wouldn't be getting her own snake until she officially joined the warriors. Sandersonia had been warry at first, but quickly seemed to take to the idea of having a snake after another warrior told her how Amastris' snake was one of the friendliest.

Mari was just like Hancock. I was simply interested on how they tamed them. They might be breed and raised in the presence of humans. Otherwise I held little interest for them. I've never feared snakes, except spiders. I hated those arachnids...

"I deeply despise you. With every fiber of my existence," I told the captain of the Kuja pirates, my scowl deepening as she laughed. It was deep and rich, almost masculine, but it fitted her.

Placing a hand on my head, she ruffled my hair, irking me even more. It was just as silky as Hancock's with the same healthy shine to it. I took good care of it because it turned out to be something that slightly reminded me of Yoko, and I wanted to keep her legacy, meaning us, safe. It'd serve as a reminded. But now that my thoughts came to keeping my sisters safe, I felt the overwhelming urge to jump into the sea after grabbing my sisters and swimming back to Amazon Lily. Even though we've just entered the Grand Line by the strong winds I was experiencing for the first time after being born once again.

I was glad my memories were faulty of that time and that I didn't remember being pressed out of Yoko.

The mere idea gave me shivers and I barely suppressed them.

"Maybe you just have to eat all your healthy veggies!" another woman pipped in and I turned my frosty gaze onto the culprit of such a 'good advise'. As if I didn't know that. And I do eat everything!

Maybe 'everything' shouldn't include grass and leaves...

The world I was reincarnated in was weird. I had a few weird urges to do something stupid at times. It only happened two times...I think. And I might understand how the characters usually did something weird or plain stupid, they might have just acted on those urges. Maybe it was the power of Eiichiro Oda. Was he the Kami here? Enel sure as hell wasn't.

"Cassia-tan?" I snapped out of it and gave an impish smile at the crouching Amastris. I noted her hand was still on my head and I shrugged it off. "You scared us there!" she laughed mightily and I wondered how she'd react were she in the know of what could possibly happen to the four of us.

"That thoughtful head of yours sure as fu-" after receiving glares when the other Kuja warriors figured she was going to swear, she tried to smoothly cover it by another word. "-ehh, fumbling didn't come from Yoko-chan."

I perked. The idea of getting to know my late mother in this life always grabbed my attention. It might be because I wanted to know her more, to cover the guilt swirling inside my gut like a cyclone. She had been absent half my lifetime, with my first two months of living a bit foggy. "Mom?"

Amastris nodded, rubbing her jawline. "She did however make good strategies. And a good bargainer."

I noticed that Hancock and my other two siblings were lounging on the highest deck, with Mari leaning her back on the railing and soundly sleeping. At least one of us was catching up on some needed rest. All the 'excitement' was also taking a tool on me and I felt the tiredness, a lot of it based from my emotional turmoils, for sure. Was I really turning into an angst-driven person? Going down that road would create panic attacks soon, by the pace I was going.

But for now, I'd go rest next to Mari.

I excused myself from Amastris and climbed the stairs to plop myself down near Mari, careful not to wake her up. It'd only lead to bruises and a pissing content. I didn't really like a kid telling me off, and using my height in the small argument, but I only won because I could talk in circles, making Mari slowly forget about the loss of her beauty sleep.

She had never been in a good mood after waking up, either on her own or someone or something disturbing her sleep.

I met Sandersonia's eyes and gave a tired wave. "Wake me up when we reach land." I got an affirmative smile before I finally nodded off.

* * *

"Cassiiiiiiii~" I grunted and swatted something away, something that had been continuously poking my cheek. Then I felt the air near my ear shift and I yelped, shooting awake and giving Hancock the best glare I could muster up with sleep clouding my vision for a second. I've felt that she was going to flick my ear and naturally avoided it.

She had a shit-eating grin on her face, which slowly lifted my mood and I grinned right back at her. "Did we reach land?"

She nodded and pointed behind me, making me turn. I must've been gaping at the sight before us for long enough for Hancock to sashay to my side and close my mouth for me. I didn't even feel ashamed of my unladylike behavior. Sandersonia would be lecturing me by now that she'd tell the old Nyon about it, but the greenhead never went through with it. Maybe because she knew I'd only make Nyon come a little closer to madness.

The Elder Nyon already had a lot more gray strands than before too.

Back to the sight in front of me. The island didn't appear big, but it might have been like that because we were close to it and I wasn't a giant or in the sky to see the whole patch of land. It was the first time I saw something other than Amazon Lily, excluding the sea I've come to like. There was an emerald colored river ending by meeting with the ocean, where it turned a pretty azure blue. I could see fish swimming at the end of the river, looking slightly disorganized and disoriented by their jerky moves. Some looked like goldfishes, others were pretty plain. And I could've sworn I saw an eel swimming there before it passed.

The flowers growing under the shade of trees near the river seemed such an appealing safe haven. I could already imagine lying under the shade, feet in the river and inspecting the nearest flowers. The forest didn't look like a jungle, but most were broad-leaf trees, with vines growing around some.

On the river's surface a few Camellia flowers floating on it peacefully.

It put me at ease.

I turned to Hancock and cocked my head to the side. I couldn't hear any of the Kuja pirates walking around or doing some things. "Where are the warriors?"

She tilted her head towards the island and I could see how she longed to just jump into the water and swim to the sandy beach we had analyzed. "They said they'd be back soon, to check if everything was alright for us to go there. They want to keep us safe as you and Mari are still too young to be actually even really allowed with us." She sounded like she didn't believe there could be danger on the peaceful island.

I noticed that Mari and Sandersonia weren't on the highest deck and then some kind of cold feeling washed over me, like I've just been chucked into an ice cold pond. MY heart beat like a racing horse's as I whirled around to see a few men grabbing onto the two girls, their screams muffled by their hands.

"H-Hancock!" I choked out and she whirled just as fast and her face went ash gray.

 _"I want those two over there too!"_ I was going to remember that whiny voice and bring that bastard down. I glared, knowing I wouldn't be of much help and gave in, numbness already shooting through my body. I took the time to remember everything about the person who 'wanted' us. He was small and chubby, no wait, that was a too nice of a word to describe the son of a bitch. He was so fucking overweight that he looked like the smallest of breezes would make him roll around, the fat clinging to him in fear of falling off. His eyes were small and hooded, black in color, with curly blond hair on top of his too small and pudgy head.

I would've taken him down if such an act wouldn't lead to an Admiral sent here, who would definitely wipe out the Kuja pirates, or let them be taken as slaves too.

There were two more World Nobles in their suits, thinking they weren't breathing the same air as us. Which was practically impossible. But if they didn't want to share the air with 'mere commoners and peasants', I would gladly sent them to the afterlife and relieve them of the pain of breathing filthy air.

We were taken into a small room under the deck, cramped together with our wrists chained.

I knew what would soon befall us and joined my sisters in crying out for help. However, I did not plead to be released and promise on not telling anyone. Nobody was there to hear us and I didn't have enough energy to spent on uselessly pleading and promising. We'd soon be slaves and be branded by the Celestial Dragons' sign.

* * *

I woke up when I was pulled up by my hair and almost snarled at the _marine_. He looked like he could care less as he tugged on my hair, pulling on it so much I feared he'd rip it all out. I was dragged by my locks through the big ship, desperately listening to my sisters' cries as we were brought onto the deck, facing the three Nobles. I refrained from spitting at their feet, unable to see much else than that because the marine was pressing my face so low I was inches away from face-planting and eating dust.

"These will be your new slaves, Ando-kun?" a feminine voice asked, and I could imagine the way she was sneering at our forms with disgust filling her face. At least we were equally disgusted about each other. The thought didn't make it better, if anything, I felt like crying and going on a rampage.

How could anyone have the right to own people? Make them their slaves and put them through such traumatic experiences it'd put Hitler and Stalin combined to shame. The anguish I felt made me mute, and I was already imagining what awaited the four of us. My only silver lining was that it'd make us stronger, thick-skinned and that we'd eventually escape during Fisher Tiger's rampage.

I didn't catch what was said after that and felt like I was trying to walk through water. Soon, each of us had those rings around our necks and a chain attached to each 'collar' onto the stone wall facing us. Our wrists were also chained and the four of us huddled together, the momentary body-head of my sisters bringing me back to reality.

Never in my dreams had it been so real or painful for both my body and soul.

Would I soon break?

What about my sisters?

More tears spilled from my eyes and I distinctly remembered Yoko the last time I saw her. Unconsciousness soon claimed me, my body trying to shield me from the traumatic events we were about to face.

Nothing could've prepared me for the next few years.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I know they were caught by slave traders, but I wanted to change it. The Nobles are too dump to take note that four girls couldn't be the only people on the ship they came across and just took off with them.**

 **They might have thought ' _ohh! free slaves! gotta grab 'em all!'_.**

 **Who should she be paired with later on? I always had a soft spot for Mihawk, but I also like Shanks, Law and Ace. Although Ace is a fan-favorite, kind of. But Mihawk and Shanks are physically too old for her, even if she could match them mentally. For now, it'll be about Cassia and the Gorgon sisters. Romance will be pushed into the back of my mind. Okay, not really. I always think of who to pair her up and imagine different scenarios.**

 **Thanks for the reviews! And I'll do my best to update as much as I can. I can't promise to update every day or even twice a week, but for now, I have some time to get this story going.**


	3. Branded

**Hello!**

 **First of all, all the characters and the original plot are owned by Eiichiro Oda, with the sole exceptions of my OCs and the changes I do (small as they may be, for now, but maybe not, it's for me to know and you to guess).**

 **So I mentioned something about possibly pairing off Cassia with someone and here's what I'm probably going to do. I'll keep away from the romance in this story. There could pop up random chapters that are merely omakes where I give it a shot. Otherwise, I apologize for anyone who had hoped to see Cassia get paired off with someone.**

 **Ahh! I almost forgot. One of you wondered if Cassia is going to get devil fruit abilities. It won't probably be in this chapter, but it'll come up soon enough. I'm still thinking about it.**

 **Now please enjoy this chapter, you've been kept waiting long enough.**

* * *

I woke up in the same room as I had passed out in.

The four of us were pressed into the farthest corner from the door. By the lack of crying or harsh breathing indicating any distress, it was safe to say I woke up before my sisters. A look at their sleeping faces confirmed it.

Even in their sleep, the sheer distress and terror still lingered in their expressions. Illogically, I felt the sudden need to make the nobles pay. But while it wouldn't lead to us being obliterated by an Admiral, we'd probably be killed. How could the marines let such things happen? These people...They weren't simply rotten to the bones, with a stone cold heart and whatever else I couldn't currently come up with to describe them as. Which excluded all the insults that weren't possibly even close to the truth by their harshness and bitchiness level.

Fact is, we'll come out of it alive.

Damn it. It didn't help me keep myself positive or even hopeful. Because what did I know anyway? I had only known the Gorgon sisters had been kidnapped and become the slaves of the World Nobles before they were rescued when Fisher Tiger rescued the slaves and rampaged Mariejois. Then they have been found by Rayleigh, Shakky and the Elder Nyon.

Thinking about the old hag made me so homesick my chest hurt and I might be on the verge of hyperventilating.

I hadn't been in the series. Never even mentioned, but Ace and Sabo hadn't been either, before the big revelations. Had I truly not been in the original series? Or did I die? Whichever it was, neither was calming me down and I was already trembling by now.

The Gorgon sisters could've simply suppressed their memories of a dead sister, their hatred for men could've been easily come from such an event in their lives. It truly frightened me.

"Oi, Cass!"

What will we go through? Now that we were inches from our imminent torture by the hands of the Celestial Dragons...What had the Gorgon sisters originally gone through? One Piece had only covered so much, always skipping over the gruesome facts, or was that just censorship of certain countries? No matter, our fate was set in stone.

"Look at me, baby sis!"

It was so unfair. The three of them were just kids. I should've been against going off of Amazon Lily. And what about the Kuja warriors? Will Nyon chew them out? Punish them? Whatever it was, it wasn't their fault we were taken. _I_ should've been paying attention.

Why was I feeling lightheaded? Oh, panic attack.

"Cassia!"

I was literally slapped out of it, hands on either of my chubby cheeks. Damn you, baby fat.

I stared at Hancock and tried to mimic her breathing pattern just like she instructed me to. I would've corrected my breathing anyway...Or not. I wasn't sure about things anymore. My thoughts always curved back to what awaited us. All four of us.

And there wasn't even anything I knew of what 'awaited' us. Torture. It was too unspecific.

"Thank you..." I whispered to my sister before being engulfed in a bear hug, courtesy of my three sisters. I may be mentally the eldest of us, but it just meant I could process it better than the three of them. Which might not be a good thing in this situation. There was a possibility I'll go insane, be left with physical consequences of long-term torture...Or I'll simply forget all of it, if I got lucky enough to suffer from post-traumatic amnesia. Was it called retrograde amnesia, or anterograde? I think Ran in Detective Conan's fourth movie had suffered from the retrograde kind of memory loss.

We were still slightly cowering in the corner, sharing our body heat to keep ourselves warm, because the room, more like the cell, we were in was cold and damp. Possibly from the climate. I hoped it was from the climate.

"Will Amastris and the others come to get us?" Mari asked and my heart just broke a little, I think.

Sandersonia hushed her and let her hands dance through Mari's thick locks in a calming manner. She was just a kid...Younger than I physically even. I don't know how many times this already went through my mind, but it always left me angry and horrified at the inhumanity the World Nobles possessed. With the World Government and the marines covering their asses and probably wiping them clean.

"-stronger than you think," it was Hancock who answered, and I felt agony when I heard her voice so steady, filled with pride and faith. It was just that they couldn't do anything. Each of the warriors could have their own children at home and they would all be lost if they even looked at the Celestial Dragons the wrong way.

"And they have snakes," Mari added with a tearful smile. The older two offered smiles and nods, but I just sat there. There was nothing any of us could do.

Except endure what was to be thrown at us.

* * *

Soon, someone opened the door and we pressed our backs painfully into the corner, all of us shaking. The greasy guy who grabbed the collars' chains tugged on them so hard we were left sprawled on the dirty ground of our cell before he tugged again, even stronger than before.

"Get a move on!"

Sandersonia, my sweet sensitive sister started pleading for him to let us go. I saw it before it happened, but nonetheless, I couldn't have stopped the harsh slap Sonia received. "Shut up, littl' girl," he sneered, a vein throbbing on his temple. "As if!" he laughed and then spat onto the ground between us. "You're worthless shits, that's all you'll ever be!" Mari was tearing up and I was shaking, but this time, it wasn't terror. I could've dealt with this guy, I could see how weak he held himself. And that he treated my sister like that...

I took a step forward, but Hancock also took one, halting me in my approach. "I apologize," she said coldly, hands clenched at her sides as I heard her jaw locking.

The man leered at her form, but her eyes were shadowed, otherwise he would've seen the fury I could feel slithering around her form, coiling and ready to attack. He focused back on the whole of us and sneered once more before turning and tugging on the chains, forcing us to follow him.

We did, albeit weakly.

"Han-nee..." Sonia whispered as her hand cradled her reddening cheek. Mari's tears were already spilling and I quickly slid closer to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders as she cried silently.

Hancock's stony expression cracked and she looked like the child she was. Filled with horror and dread.

"We need to be careful...These people...These _men_. They won't hesitate to hurt you. Us. And...And I'm sorry I couldn't help," the black-head said lowly, lower lip sticking out slightly as it started trembling, face already setting into a grimace as her own eyes became glassy.

She was blaming herself and Hancock's hatred for the male population was just born.

I kept silent.

The rest of the walk was agonizing. We were tense, scared and the dread filling my gut was getting worse with every step I had to take to keep up with the man leading us on our 'leashes'.

A turn left, down a long corridor and passing some doors, avoiding another man in similar rags as the one leading us, turn to the right...The air was stifling, some kind of horrid smell lingering everywhere we walked. Then I heard the muffled screams and groans. The four of us slid closer to each other and solemnly focused at our feet, heads bowed as to not look at anything. I was scared of the many reasons why people were screaming.

"You'll get what ya' deserve. Underneath humans. You're mere slaves. You'll be branded to remember it," the man grinned at us, fully enjoying at the expressions we adorned.

I knew what was coming. But as we were tugged into the dirty room with three more men like him, my gaze only caught the coal fire with the branding iron heated in its blaze. It was so hot and sticky, it felt so dirty and unhygienic.

Even pirates would've been less filthy.

I just knew they never cleaned the branding iron and that we could very well suffer some kind of infection which could spread horribly.

"Come on, Garett. Fresh meat is so delicate, you need to be more careful..." one of the new men grumbled, but even if he said such a thing, I saw the sick satisfaction in his eyes as he _studied_ our appearances. He pointed at Mari. "First one."

The other two at his side laughed as one moved to the fire and grabbed the branding iron. The man that held our chains, Garett, handed Mari's chain to the slimy one who had pointed at her.

"She'll enjoy having their sign burned into her back," he purred loudly and Sonia started sobbing.

"No, no, no...Please, just please don't do anything! Please! I-I'll take her place!" It was like I was numb. What could I do? Hancock was offering herself to them in exchange for Mari, but I knew her tries will be fruitless. All four of us will be branded...And this scum we had to share air with would be taking great pleasure of seeing us suffer. I don't know if I was ready to hear the screams. The screams of my siblings.

The man's demeanor turned thunderous and he struck her, punching her jaw and sending her flying onto the ground. I cried out and quickly fell to my knees to inspect is as well as I couldn't hold myself on my feet anymore. A bruise was already forming, and I think she bit her lip accidentally.

"Hancock!" Mari shrieked, but Slimy wrenched her body towards the other side of the room, where the other man took a hold of her and pushed her onto the ground. Flipping her so that she was lying on her stomach, face pushed into the ground as she shrieked and cried and desperately flailed to escape the man's hold. The man with the branding iron soon came closer and Slimy moved and pulled Mari's top up to expose her back. I lurched forward, but Garett had moved behind us and grabbed our hair and pulled us up so we stood on our wobbly feet.

"Enjoy the show," he breathed out.

And the screams began.

I felt the blood rush to my ears and I was shaking, but I couldn't move my gaze away from Mari's withering form until the iron was moved away, revealing the burnt flesh, eternally marking her.

The only sign that showed she was still alive were the tremors racking her body. Slimy hauled her up by her orange locks before simply tossing her at our feet.

I had a closer look at her expression and ice filled my veins. She looked pain-stricken and I knew she'd be scarred for life, psychologically as well as physically, but the hollow look that was settling in her orange orbs left me breathless and so shocked and revolted at what she had just gone through. "Mari. Look at me," I urged her, but she just laid on her side and I couldn't move, with the chains and collar as well as Garett's fistful of my hair in his iron grip leaving me with no chances to move and console her.

"Marigold, come on. Look at big sis," I kept urging her and just as her gaze met mine, a sickening maniac laugh filled the room. It was Slimy and he was sauntering towards me with an eerie air. He kicked Mari away from us, and the three of us cried out as Mari let out an anguished scream when her back hit the stony wall.

Slimy crouched down in front of me and grabbed my face in his big palm, nails digging into my skin as he sneered right in my face. I could feel my lip tremble and the way his face brightened sealed who was going next. I could only cry out and listen to Sonia and Hancock's sobs. It didn't register in my mind that no sound left Mari. I was thrown on he ground, my face pressed into the cold stone as it bit into my skin, but everything happened so quickly. And the next thing I knew was unmeasurable pain blossoming on my back and everything just _spun_.

I screamed my throat raw, but a slap quietened my wails. I was shaking and the deep pulses of pain washing over me were so paralyzing, I didn't move except the vibrations that ran through me every second. As if I've been struck by lightning.

Nothing registered in my mind, other than the pain. Even when dark spots danced in my vision, I knew no rest could dull the pain.

I was engulfed in black, dreaming of flames dancing over my skin as I was burnt alive.

* * *

"Move it, girly!" I was pushed to the ground by another slave as he hurried out of the room to serve one of our 'masters'.

Sonia helped me up, my back pulsing with phantom pains every other week. "Are you alright?"

I wasn't. If I had to be honest, in no state could I describe myself even close to 'alright'. Emotionally, I was exhausted and so drained that the only thing keeping me going was the bowl of rice the four of us shared every night. We were sort of the new toys for the nobles and the men keeping us, all of the slaves, had to make sure we wouldn't die and dissatisfy the Celestial scum. Physically, my body was running on fumes. Every slave tried to steal food and water, to keep themselves alive, because people here didn't know how long human bodies could go without nutrients.

It was one of the many reasons, albeit the most common one, for why slaves died. The keepers, the men that kept us in check, would punish us and most slaves either died, or died shortly afterwards from internally bleeding and getting no proper aid, or they went insane and commit suicide. If the nobles got you, your death was imminent, but at least they only got a few kicks in before they pulled a trigger and blasted your brains out of your skull.

The images were burnt into my memory like the 'Hoof of the Flying Dragons' into my back had been weeks ago. The skin around it was still red and raw, slightly inflamed, but the four of us had been lucky that our burns didn't get infected. A few died from untreated infections when it entered the bloodstream.

"Just dusty," I flashed a smile at her, but she just shook her head and held onto my arm.

Mari had been taken just earlier, and if she experienced the same things I did, I don't think I could handle it was also the looming threat of the men. Many of the women were sexually assaulted...Hancock didn't show any signs yet, but I was keeping a close eye on my sisters as well as analyzed the men's expressions. Trying to read them and see where their intentions lied. It could not be denied that my siblings were all a whole lot more developed than me. But the World Nobles were called more than scum for a reason.

There did exist men who liked undeveloped bodies and I shuddered at the memory of one of their touches that felt as scorching as the branding iron had been. It had been a 'simple' caress of my lower back, but after that I made sure that I got taken by one of the female nobles. Homosexuality was rare, so I felt slightly safer, yet women _could_ be crueler than men.

A simple mistake and you'd be finished off. I dreaded the mere idea of dying once more, and leaving my sisters behind.

I couldn't bear the thought of nobody telling them what happened and how they'd come to the horrific conclusion on their own without anyone breaking it to them with kind words instead of the very probable laugher they'd receive when they would plead the keepers for answers.

"You! Kirusa-sama needs someone!" one of the keepers pointed at me and I quickly scrambled to follow him. I casted a glance at Sonia and nodded with the corners of my lips twitching in comfort to reassure her I'll be okay. "Keep up, twat!" I received a yank on the chain and I stumbled, barely keeping my footing as I choked slightly.

I grit my teeth but kept quiet, tasting the coppery taste of blood in my mouth from biting the side of my cheek on accident.

Kirusa was a nasty woman. Not particularly ugly, but definitely not even close to how some of the female slaves looked. Which must've been the reason they were slaves, these men merely wanting their bodies and...I didn't continue letting my thoughts bounce down that road.

Being shoved into the cleaner parts on the ground-level, I was able to see the sun through a window, as short as it may have been in passing. The ground-level was already a part of the palace, and the only part where we could walk without being personal slaves to one of the nobles. None of the four of us had the misfortune and I was hoping we wouldn't be separated. Most of the personal slaves died from starvation, dehydration or from too much abuse. I did my best not to catch the eye of any of the nobles and I was successful for now. I made minor mistakes, which already got me enough punishments...The keepers were the ones who usually chose the personal slaves, choosing the ones doing the least mistakes. Other times it was when a world noble chose a woman to marry him. Sleazy bastards they all were. The personal slaves got to see the rest of the palace, wherever their noble chose to go with them in tow.

I was thrown at the feet of a woman and I quickly bowed as respectful as I could appear with my ragged appearance. Dirty clothes, hair and smelling of sweat, blood and dirt, I already felt inferior.

"Phaa, such a horrid smell this-this being possesses!" the woman shrieked and I felt her place her foot on my head and press my face into the hard marble used for the floor. "It'll interfere with the bath I intended to take! Take such scum away this instant!" my eyes widened in horror and the next instant I was clawing at the collar to catch some oxygen, which was being cut off by the keeper pulling on the chain backwards, hauling me over the ground towards where we've come from.

And I knew I'd be dished some punishment.

* * *

"We need to escape..." Hancock muttered as the four of us kept close, her hand brushing through Sonia's green locks in an attempt to calm her. We've just seen one of the keepers kill a slave by activating the collar. The woman had been new and resisted Slimy's try at seducing her. It wasn't a common mistake, but when the keepers were at it...Death always seemed closer.

Slimy hadn't been going to sexually assault her, he usually just took pleasure in seeing people in pain, but that didn't include rape strangely enough.

He had been planning to set her off so that he could punish her. And as a keeper, he could choose what to do to her. He just so happened to like the horrified expressions of slaves that knew they were about to be blown to pieces.

"B-But..." Sonia trembled, barely able to speak. "I-It's impossible..." she's given up on escaping. The light in her eyes was the first to extinguish.

"And even if you did," a quiet voice piped in and I felt all of us stiffen before we carefully turned to see who had overheard us, praying it wasn't a keeper. It was a fishman, his green-tinted skin and beady black eyes the most noticeable traits, his form looming over us as he took a step closer. I was just glad he wasn't a keeper and my shoulders sagged. Then he continued. "If you succeed, what then? You're mere humans, and anyone who would see the mark on your backs will be have to be dealt with. They'd catch you and you'd all die. Watch as they'll kill one after another."

I growled slightly as he took a step too close and he did stop, but he didn't look bothered by my primal response at his invasive presence.

"You want to die? Go ahead," with that he turned away and sat down in a corner, alone.

"What about...What about Amazon Lily?" Mari whispered. She was still hopeful that they'd come to our rescue.

I saw Hancock stiffen and saw the disappointment and hopelessness in her eyes before she turned away from us, covering the fact that she had already given up on our people rescuing us. The day she had finally given up had been...Her breakdown had been...I couldn't even think of it properly, the image of her expression creeping into my mind as well as her cries of despair filling my ears for a second.

"They'll only be killed."

Mari sniffed and I wrapped my arms around her taller form.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I hate myself for making them suffer. And it'll still continue on into the next chapter. I'm a horrible person.**

 **Please review!**


	4. Tortured

**Hello!**

 **So I chose to rename the story from Liquid Silver to Duality. I hope you aren't too confused by the change, but you'll know by the end of the chapter why. Or if not, I did plan on explaining it.**

 **Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

It was horrifying to see what the World Nobles seemed to enjoy watching.

Not just watching. They joined after time passed and it became a routine for them to see us suffer. They got bored of simply watching us be tortured by the keepers, or an unfortunate slave that was chosen to 'roughen us up'.

While I knew little of what was happening to my sisters, I could make a guess and be spot on. They all appeared tired. Worn. Not just appeared, they truly were. The only thing what was on their minds was survival and that we'll all come out of it alive. All four of us. Maybe it wasn't just wistful thinking, but I believed we would.

However, it didn't change what we were going through to survive.

"This is boring~" a voice _whined_ , one of the many people I came to despise. The voice belonged to a teenage boy, obviously just another World Noble, but he was the cause of most of my suffering. He didn't simply stand by and watch closely how I withered in pain, sobbing yet trying to keep quiet because I knew they didn't like slaves being too loud, simply because they had particularly sensible hearing.

"Don't bind her down, let her trash around..." it suddenly turned sly and I shivered at the tone.

Keeping my head low and bowed, I didn't dare to look up and shoot him a barely passable glare. It would make him delighted to see all my reactions, and he could use it to against me. Saying that my gaze on his superior form tarnished his _purity_. No World Noble was pure. Even the babies will grow into their inhumanity. They'll strive in it.

"The whips for today," the keeper grabbed me by my unkempt hair and forced me onto my knees, my feet, back and front exposed to what was to come.

I cried out when it began, but it was reduced to whimpers when the young boy, barely older than Hancock, chose to use the whip on my feet for being too loud. "Urusai!" I was biting my lip so hard I broke the surface and drew blood from the small cuts. The stinging and pain just wouldn't stop. The soles were very sensitive, as was the back, and the bastard loved to hear the screams, yet got angry when it was simply too piercing.

"Scream!" he ordered, but I couldn't. The whip hit me vertically across my back and I arched my back, only doubling the pain. "I said scream, you trash!" the next few hits did make me scream and I was barely conscious from all the pain. It dulled all my senses except touch. It made it all the more painful to endure.

I was trying to scurry from the keeper, who merely held my hair in a death grip by the sidelines. If I could only escape his hold...

But what would I do? Knock him out as well as the noble? I'd be signing my death with such an act. There was nowhere to hide, no way for me to know where my sisters were to grab them and flee. Was I even thinking about them at first when the thought of escaping hit me? No. And the guilt and anger building up inside me was so suffocating, I was barely even reacting to the boy's whipping.

"Mou~ _She_ 's getting bored, the little bitch."

Which fully brought me back to reality. He was a sadistic narcissist, and anything that wasn't caused by his doing, enraged him. Or lack of reacting to him. I wanted to say most of the nobles weren't as bad, but it'd be a lie. A damn big fat one, at that. They raped some of the women here, and killed them when it finally lead to unwanted pregnancies.

Hands wrapped around my throat and I choked on the scream that wanted to leave me, my air supply suddenly cut off.

His face was too close and I could see through my slanted eyes the pleasure he was experiencing while feeling the life drain from me. I saw his dark brown eyes sparkling. How his lips curved upwards as obvious glee filled his being. "I'll make sure you don't disrespect me again," he grinned as I was trying to claw at his hands, but the keeper let go of my hair in favor to keep my _dirty_ hands off of the important noble.

Tears blurred my vision and I just hoped he wouldn't continue choking me after I fainted from the lack of oxygen. I knew I'd suffer brain damage after three minutes of strangulation, and die within six to eight minutes. Thank you currently useless knowledge I attained from curiosity in my previous life.

I was barely fighting back and just when I thought I'll fall unconscious, he let go and I wheezed and coughed, my lungs burning as my head spun.

"She's unsatisfying...Maybe we should make a show next time," the idea he got out of nowhere made shivers run down my spine. "She has relatives, does she not?" my blood ran cold. Would he...? He would, but I had never thought we'd...

"Yes," I felt the need to cry and plead and to apologize, but nothing came out of my mouth, except the wheezed breathing sounds I was making.

"I could propose a show to my family, see if anyone is interested in watching how they reach to seeing the other be tortured..."

The pure hatred, it caused something within me to stir. Like a wild beast. I couldn't let them. It'd cause the last bits of light to leave Mari's eyes. Hancock and Sonia had long since let go of any kind of hopes to be rescued. But just as I realized, the feeling left, leaving me shaking. I didn't notice how the World Noble barely stood, having felt something overwhelming him. The keeper was barely conscious, but I didn't take notice of it, too consumed by my thoughts as I was finally jerked by the collar and hauled back to the cells filled with slaves. None of my sisters were there when I was trying to straighten myself and lean against the wall.

Left alone to lick my wounds and for the horror to finally settle in my core, I was glad the three weren't there to see me crumble down and cry into my arms.

My physical wounds would heal just fine, leave no scar. The world here had a strange healing rate. Most of what we endured would've left its marks on us by now. But I ignored it, only thinking of what we were going to face. The loathing of nobles and torture was growing, and I didn't know how long I could go on like that.

To be drowned in such misery. I wasn't ever aware how long we've already been here. Maybe two years. If so, I was already eight, Mari would be seven, Hancock fourteen and Sonia thirteen. Our childhood having ended a long time ago.

* * *

We were led to a room, the farthest we've ever been led from the basement filled with slaves.

The unease settling in my stomach was the telltale sign that nothing good will come out of this for the four of us. I haven't been able to tell my sisters of what we'd still have to endure. It was merciless to my guilty conscience. I knew it wasn't my fault, but that I couldn't tell them to even prepare themselves did feel like a few torture sessions combined, only on an emotional level.

Going by my sisters' confused, and rather frightened expressions, they were truly clueless and I had no doubt that if I hadn't known beforehand of this, I'd be ready to vomit from the uneasiness.

"Where are they taking us?" murmured Mari, head bowed and shadowing her eyes with her orange locks that had lost its shine. We were tattered and bruised, as well as still a bit shaky from the day before. We had been exposed to 'showering'. Meaning, the keepers almost drowned us by splashing either hot or cold water, sometimes changing it in between. I had been frightened, thinking they were going to drown us with the damp clothes stuffed in our mouths to lead us to think we truly would. Slimy's little group had been the one to lead their little 'event'. It was torture for us.

I was worried I'll form a phobia of water or swimming. It would be something that could put me in danger if I ever lived through this slavery. Because the whole One Piece world was practically water.

"I don't know..." mumbled Hancock, looking through her fringe and letting me see the last traces of a black eye she got from a keeper one day. She hadn't talked about it, and neither of us pressed for answers. It was an unspoken rule by now. None of us ever spoke of what happened during 'torture time', only taking care of the shaken sibling and her wounds. We stuck close and tried to keep away from the other slaves. The only one ever having spoken with us had been the fishman with green skin. We haven't seen him since, but I did hear some things amids the slaves. The World Nobles have started to pay extra attention to fishmen. Which was definitely bad for them. But currently, I had more pressing matters to think about.

Like what awaited us.

"You four will definitely _love_ what is coming at you," purred Slimy and I grimaced at the ground we walked on. It was strangely spotless, even though the dirty nobles walked these grounds, as well as us, the neglected and tortured slaves. My heart clenched when I thought of myself as a slave. I couldn't accept the title and it was tiring.

Slavery. It had only ever been a topic discussed and taught in History during my previous life. Egypt, Greece...So many ancient cultures had disregarded life by enslaving human beings. To be one was different than studying about it. And to feel the effects of it on people. On myself...

I was unable to act without endangering my sisters, which is why I had faith in Fisher Tiger.

Being brought back by a hand brushing against mine, I met Mari's gaze. As much as she tried, I could see the inability to smile within her. But her eyes relied the message. There was no need to smile or speak. Especially not within the presence of the keepers such as Slimy.

Double-doors opened and we were led down the steps of a small theater and the descending feeling of doom hit me. We'd be a show. Their entertainment for the evening, by the setting of the sun on the horizon. I yearned for the feeling of sunlight kissing my skin, the sound of waves, driving Nyon insane even though she was secretly fond of me. I simply wanted _freedom_.

But the risks were far to great, and I'd rather suffer for a longer time if it meant all four of us would come out alive and _be free_ later on.

"It's show-time~" the disgusting voice of Gooro sung as we were brought onto the stage, the World Nobles filling the chairs of the big room. There weren't many, as in dozens or even more than twenty. But the fact such a number wanted to see this was...I wasn't merely disgusted anymore. I was revolted by the detestable things they condoned. And for the World Government to approve such behavior because they were supposedly so important...Where did their power lie? In their wealth? Did they bribe the World Government? Or was is only the fact they established it? I was ready to explode.

"Ladies and gentlemen~ I present you these siblings. I made this a special event which might even turn into a regular occurrence if you will enjoy this. You'll see what I've planned out and you will be entertained, I promise you." For someone so young, he was truly a disgrace for humanity.

The idea of killing him sounded so appealing. But I valued my morals and it'd cause problems. But the need to return the favor and make him suffer at least a tiny bit the way we did and still will, it was more than appealing. It was worming its way in my mind. I saw both sides. The good and the bad part. Even the middle ground. I could kill him in the future, I could mutilate him yet he'd live, or simply let it go. His life was worthless in comparison to the slaves I've met. They were all good people who had been unfortunate. Life itself had played them. And they were robbed of their rights as human beings. I couldn't ignore _that_. I knew that I would do _something_ , but the time wasn't right to decide _what_.

I was slapped and quickly came back to the reality.

"I might not let you live for ignoring me," Gooro growled and I suppressed the giggle that was desperate to escape me. I remained silent and didn't dare to meet his probably burning gaze. Maybe he had experienced some shame for being disregarded in front of all these nobles.

"Let's start with what we found over time. We didn't know what to do with these," he pulled something from the side of the stage and I gaped at the three devil fruits. Wait. There were only three. Which one would receive which? I didn't remember what their devil fruits looked like and from my spot on the stage, I could see the wonder and awe on the World Nobles' faces as they gazed at the fruits. Gooro moved and took the first one, displaying it to the nobles. "This one is called the Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: King Cobra." and before long, he had walked up to Mari and was forcing the fruit down her throat.

She choked and was barely able to chew it before swallowing. Next came Sonia, with Gooro giving her the same fruit, only it was the model anaconda. As he took the last one, he seemed thoughtful before sending me a grin which promised pain.

"And now...The last one is a mystery, not having been registered in the records of devil fruits. But the oldest of them will get it, and then we'll test it out on the youngest one," when he looked at me at the end, I was ready to snarl at him. He thought _I_ was the youngest!? Because I was the smallest...If I could have, I would be bashing his face into the walls of the basement. Those were practically steel-like. It'd teach him not to call me small...

Hancock's eyes were wide and unfocused for a second before she frantically looked at me and I smiled. It'll be okay. She didn't seem to understand and she refused to open her mouth for Gooro, which made him angry. Before she could reach, he punched her in the stomach and forced the fruit down her throat.

And then all the fun began.

I still had the chains on my hands and the collar around my neck, and it made my reactions slower and less effective when I had to dodge two snakes and Hancock's currently weak attacks. A keeper would come and tug my chains, making me stumble and be hit. It didn't happen often as I greatly relied on my instincts, letting a more primal side of me take over. I needed to _survive_.

But after the fighting ended and all four of us were left exhausted, Gooro seemed overjoyed.

A keeper got me and then I saw what Gooro held in his arms. A knife. Its blade was sharp and I could see how his eyes glanced at me when he walked towards one of my sisters. Marigold...

She was being held down by a keeper, who had already placed sea-stone cuffs instead of the normal ones, leaving her defenseless. When I figured out what he was going to do, he was already making a cut, drawing blood and I watched it slide down her arm and onto the ground. She was exhausted, but still able to scream. And dear god, it caused my brain to remember the ones that escaped her when she had gotten the brand burnt onto her back.

The three of us, uselessly watching our sister be tortured without any way to help her, we could only sob with her.

* * *

Drops of water hit me on the same spot. Landing in the middle of my forehead.

 _Drop, drop, drop._

Gooro was trying to drive me insane. He had become fixated on me, seemingly developed an obsession. I didn't know what caused it. Had it been my behavior? Did something not go like he had planned? The idea of reading his mind was nice, but I feared what I'd come across in it.

His fixation meant that I was the one who usually got the _privilege_ to be his victim.

After the whipping stage passed, he became interested in water. And the many 'showers' I received always left me trembling and barely able to stand. It didn't come close to when he dunked my head into ice cold water and didn't let me get any air before I almost drowned. His tactics changed after having no effects, except leaving me shaky and even more furious at him. He didn't know the latter, but my unresponsiveness was driving him up the wall.

I've been separated from my sisters. Gooro had gotten bored of watching me fend their attacks off and then endure their torturing. It had been my round to be tortured one day, and the young teen had refused to _share_ my pain with anyone else than himself. I was close to being his personal slave.

But I wasn't. He came and went. I was left in the same cell, barely getting food. Then on some days, he did share. I'd be brought back to where my sisters usually had to entertain a small crowd of nobles, and to fight them in whatever state I was. I saw the relief spread across my sisters' faces when they saw I was alive, and I was secretly glad they worried. That they didn't forget about the fourth sister that shouldn't even exist.

"Stupid bitch," I heard him mutter, yet I stared at the ceiling, watching the droplets of water fall onto my forehead. It could've been an effective tactic on making me go insane, hadn't I known that it was just another water torture and that water could never make a dent appear in my forehead like that. I was a rational mess. "I'll give you that. You're stubborn, but..." something prickled my skin on my arm and then I felt like I was being burnt alive.

"It's been fire all along."

* * *

 _Endure._

* * *

The keeper hauled my sorry ass into a vaguely familiar cell and I rolled to a stop, motionless.

"Cassia!" the voice was familiar too. The one I've heard moments before to keep me awake had been distant, yet I recalled having it heard before. Less forceful, but distinctly similar.

"Cass!" "Big sis!"

It was straining, but my eyes opened and I saw my three sisters leaning over my form. They didn't dare move me onto my back, having seen it. Gooro the bastard...My back. It still had only one mark on it, but he had repeatedly burnt their mark onto it. Every time it was close to healing, he burnt it into my skin again. My screams were his entertainment.

"Hi," I knew my smile came off as a grimace. Hancock was staring at me with a blank face, but her eyes had always been expressive. She was storm ready to be unleashed onto a quiet city. Sonia and Mari in comparison, were horrified and the youngest was already spilling tears. Mine had run out sometime along the way.

I already lost the awareness of how much time had passed.

"We'll escape," Hancock murmured and I coughed, my back hurting from the vibrations racking my body. "Fisher Tiger escaped some time ago. We can do it."

It made me hopeful, I knew that his rampage won't be too long from now. We'd be free.

But yet, her determination was weak. I could see it, and it drained me completely. My sisters...Should I tell them the truth? That I knew we'll be rescued and found by Rayleigh, Shakky and the old hag? Would the three believe me? There was a small part of me that whispered of how they'd think I lost it and keep a watchful eye on me. Or they'd blame me for what we had to endure and forget the fact that I had endured just as much. None of the scenarios had good outcomes.

I closed my eyes and just for a second, I wished that the blackness consuming me would swallow me for eternity.

* * *

 **Author's Note: She didn't get a devil fruit. But she does have something you should've guessed by now.**

 **When I first named the story, I had in mind to give her a devil fruit which grants her the ability to manipulate mercury, which is also called quicksilver. It's liquid and looks like silver, aka Liquid Silver was born. But then I thought about it and rather chose against it.**

 **Cassia is also slowly losing herself if you haven't noticed yet. Her morals are starting to be questioned and she is slowly giving up. The fact that her sisters had given up is destroying her and it has a big impact on her. Obviously.**

 **And the new name of the story might point into a certain direction for her mental stability.**

 **Here's a hint: A character in a comic is known to be obsessed over it.**

 **But~ Nothing is truly decided.**

 **I hope you liked it! Please review!**


	5. Released

**Welcome back, faithful readers.**

 **I present you with another chapter. Enjoy. :)**

* * *

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my side, a hand weaving through my locks. I could feel the hand pausing when it bumped into knots. The spark of irritation going through me quickly dissipated. Four years did a number on my prized hair.

Or maybe a little less than that.

But considering what Hancock had said about Fisher Tiger, it should be around four years.

My back throbbed in pain as I turned to look at which sibling was twisting my locks. By the green gaze which locked with mine, my shoulders sagged in relief. Or was it disappointment? I had wanted it to be Hancock, so that I'd give her a piece of my mind. That we should all hold onto the hope we could muster up, even though I had also been ready to give in the day before. But the fact our oldest sibling had a rise of hope triggered my stubborn side. We only had to bear this for a while more, and then we'd be free. It might not be much to hold onto for dear life and the left sanity inside of me, but it'd have to do. I had been pigheaded and still was. I'd use it to my advantage and hold onto the hope. Even if there was a possibility that I was in an alternate universe in which Fisher Tiger merely escaped and never came back to free the slaves.

"Cassia..." I didn't even notice the tears streaming down my cheeks until Sonia spoke up. She was staring at me with a broken expression and I quickly tried to compose myself. I had to be strong. Giving up...For now it sounded extremely distant, but I had no doubts that it'll be one of the few thoughts racing through my mind when the branding iron...

Sniffing, I gave her a smile. She looked taken aback by the strength I could feel I directed into it. For my siblings, it could become blinding if needed be. Even when I felt a part of me protesting at the happiness I was trying to radiate outwards. A darker part I all but shoved into a void.

I held out my hand and after a second of hesitation, her hand was in mine and I squeezed it reassuringly, the smile still present. It felt like it was slightly forced, but I paid it no mind.

"We'll once again see the sun and enjoy our freedom. We'll be freed and...I'll avenge us," and if my smile became slightly predatory, I saw no unease coming from Sonia nor a change in her demeanor. She still looked empty and didn't seem to believe my words, but she nodded, her lips painfully slowly curving into a hesitant smile. It made the blood pumping through my veins feel like acid and I was ready to go on a rampage. For such a smile, it was so different than the bright ones she was always wearing before all of this happened. They robbed her of those smiles and it only boosted the sheer hatred that fueled my determination for now.

Hancock, Sandersonia, Marigold...

I'll avenge us.

Only, we had to wait and only the nobles knew what would befall us until the time came. I could feel myself changing, which was terrifying, but yet so very exciting that even if I turned into a slightly unstable person, I'd enjoy it and let the World Nobles feel the ripples I'd create.

* * *

"You don't look so good," I didn't respond to his prodding. Sometimes it was better that the newfound energy was left hidden and only silently flows through me, instead of the way I currently wanted to lash out like a tsunami and drown him.

Gooro grabbed my chin and made me look up. A new move, apparently. It forced me to meet his eyes and the spark of anger that had been ignited in his brown orbs made me grow wary. Or warier. Depending on since when I've felt restless. Since I woke up? Or the pang of anxiety that had gone through me in the face of Gooro? It was tense and silent as he glared at me, but soon his straight face broke and a nauseating smile surfaced.

I felt the color drain from my face as I felt his burning hand on my thigh. I tried not to squirm and desperately needed to be in control of what expression I was making, but I saw it when he made up his mind.

I shouldn't have thought he wouldn't take such measures. He was around seventeen, and while I may be physically ten...I have grown, like Hancock did around the same time.

My body was slowly reaching its preteen stage. Maybe the stress of all the torture had caused it quicker than it usually would, but it couldn't be stopped. I have grown taller, and while the time as a slave had obvious effects on my body, it hadn't really changed my features. My face lost the baby fat that had still lingered even while enslaved, jaw growing sharper and defined, my face showing off the first signs of high cheekbones as my nose also showed some definition. As for the feminine curves...I was showing the first indications, my waist slightly smaller than what it had been before. And my chest was also feeling rather sore and tender.

And when have the World Nobles ever given a damn about age? The horror which was gripping and squeezing my heart was excruciating. He had sent the keeper out like he usually did since the first few 'shows', so we were alone, and I admit I've never felt this frightened before.

He didn't deserve my innocence.

He couldn't simply take it, rob me of this and enjoy every second of it. Something in my chest tightened, and the once calmly flowing river started to become fiercer and the waves hitting the banks were sprayed by the suddenly ferocious overflow.

His hand wandered upwards and towards where it would never reach.

Not without my consent.

 _"No!"_

The river turned into a tsunami. I felt the wave, and watched Gooro fall to the ground, unconscious.

When realization hit me, I fell onto my knees and stared at the fainted form of the noble in front of me. What I just used...The disbelief bubbling inside of me quickly stilled into icy panic as I heard the keeper by the door shuffle. He'd see the noble knocked out, and that would sign my death sentence as well as my siblings'. I didn't truly know what to do in my frantic state, but I reached for Gooro and used his form so that he looked to be lying on me, face buried in my neck.

As the door silently opened, I closed my eyes and played like Gooro was in the early stages of raping me. Meaning, a groan plus a distressed expression as I tried to wiggle away.

One of my hands, which was out of view of the keeper grabbed Gooro's arm so that his arm moved and looked like he was waving the keeper off. The door quickly closed and I moved out from the unconscious and disgusting form with the name of Gooro.

Now that I just got some more time to think about what to do, I was pacing from one side of the cell to the other, Gooro's form deposited in the corner which the keeper would see and turn towards, presenting me with the opportunity to attack him. I was paranoid and scared, and god knows what will happen now that I finally made a mistake. A great one which will affect my siblings as well. I attacked a World Noble, something yet unheard of, and I wasn't ready to face the consequences. So every second I had to spare I'd take and wreck my brain for all the possibilities we had.

I have finally stopped going with the flow like a dead fish. I was swimming against the strong current and while it was scary as hell, as well as crazy, I'd have to forge a way out of this mess I created.

If I wanted to get my siblings and myself to safety, I'd need the damn keys for our collars and the chains on our hands.

The chains could be used offensively and a plan was forming in my mind.

It'd have to do for the time being. Now that I created some kind of plan, even if it was crazy and made me think I had a death wish, I took the time to go over the previous realization that had gone through me before the keeper interrupted. The power surge, how I released it, and when Gooro fainted...The disbelief was back full force. There was no way I possessed it.

Power that only those with the qualities of a king possessed.

Conqueror's Haki.

I remember that the old man Luffy fought in Dressrosa had said that the New World was filled with people who also possessed it. Maybe not many, but certainly more than the number I've come to know. Gol D. Roger,Hancock, Doflamingo, Whitebeard, Shanks, Luffy, Ace, Rayleigh and the old man. Had his name been something with Don in it? I didn't remember, but I might have written it down before we got kidnapped and enslaved.

Back to the problem at hand. I had the ability that qualified me as somebody with the power to change things. I was so very inexperienced with any kind of haki, this revelation wouldn't help me, except if those raw outbursts were easily accessible. Which I knew for a fact, they weren't. Great distress or any kind of strong emotions could cause it, but that would mean there had to be a threat present. And if said threat was a person with a strong will, raw outbursts wouldn't change anything except inform the person that I could be a possible threat in a grand scale later on. Because now I was still ten years old, barely able to defend myself on my own, and very open to any kind of attacks.

Looking at it realistically, I was screwed. We were screwed, all four of us, just because of me. I hadn't wanted to become a victim of rape, and while it may have triggered something I considered rare and valuable, it brought a shit ton of trouble with it.

The creeping panic came to an end when I realized something.

It was too silent to be considered normal. My senses sharpened and I carefully moved to the door and stood right behind it, so that anyone who would enter wouldn't notice me right away.

Unease swirled in my gut and I have long since started trusting my gut feeling. The restlessness I've felt since I awoke today was reaching new heights and I didn't know _why_. Why was I feeling so anxious?

It had been some weeks since I was informed of Fisher Tiger's escape and when it registered in my mind, I had a hunch they were already in Mariejois. Would they find me? Where were Mari, Sonia and Hancock? Was I going to find them? Or will I die while trying to escape? It was causing me a headache and I sat down, leaning against the wall and cooling the heat radiating from my back. The burn was close to healing and if Gooro hadn't had a change of tactics, it would've been a fresh burn mark once again.

A fear of burning to death had been slowly forming. I didn't really feel scared of fire per see, but I think if I got too close and felt its heat, I'd definitely freak out. And I've never had many fears to begin with. Such fears if discovered, could become a big problem. I didn't know why I was thinking of my fear of fire instead of escaping, but I was soon brought back by a thump outside the cell. I stiffened and silently sprang to my feet, sweat slowly collecting on my brow and temples. It could either be someone who was ready to kill anyone, or a person who respected Fisher Tiger's instructions and let even the human slaves escape.

The door opened and I could feel the person's strength. It filled the room and I felt so small, it reminded me of how I've felt underneath the nobles a few times.

When the door started closing, I panicked and jumped in the person's line of sight, which may or may not have been a stupid move on my part. But the hope that has bubbled inside me was like a small volcano.

I stared at a big fishman, who could only be the fishman with green skin and black beady eyes. He stared at me for a second before throwing me the keys I figured had to be the ones to free me of the collar and chains. I fumbled with them, but did my best to be quick. The fishman was watching me and I returned the keys back to him. He was already silently moving down the corridor, no footsteps heard and I wondered how he did it.

Making a stupid choice, I followed him, trying to match his pace and stay in his shadow.

"What are you doing?" he growled and I could feel his irritation. I gulped, but pushed the fear away. He had helped me and I needed to show my gratitude.

"Following you," was my truthfully dumb reply before I choked on my spit at the stupidity I somehow possessed and hastily continued. "I meant to thank you...Where are you going?" we stopped by a door and he entered before simply moving on.

"Freeing the remaining slaves. Be quick and leave, otherwise they'll catch you or you'll be caught in the crossfire." my brows furrowed and then the fear settled.

"What about my-!" he cut me off with a glare as he quickened his pace, one which I could barely match with my shorter legs.

"They're already being freed. Go and take your chance!" I didn't need to be told twice as I started to run as fast as my legs would allow me, passing the fishman. At the end of the corridor I had to stop and turn back towards him.

"What's your name?!"

He looked shocked before anger seemed to settle and I shuddered. "Delos! Now fucking leave!"

"I'm Boa Cassia! And I'll come thank you properly one day, so don't you dare die, baka!" I could see a vein throb in his temples and quickly turned and ran with a small grin. If it was deranged, I didn't know, but I was so close to freedom. Only that when I came out of the building, chaos was everywhere. I could see people fighting and someone lighting Mariejois on fire. I ran away, towards where I hoped I could find safety or get to Sabaody Archipelago.

The fear running through me when the thought of never being found appeared almost made me fall flat on my face, but I only stumbled and continued to run from the fire.

"Marigold! Sandersonia! Hancock!" I yelled as my pace slowed and I came to a stop, watching the building slowly go up in flames. How had they originally put the fire out? Had they needed Aokiji's assistance? Because I didn't know what he'd do to a former slave. He had let Robin go, but while he was usually laid-back, he still held authority and had a messed up moral compass, if one asked me.

What was I supposed to do?

I was alone, even though I could see other slaves running from the fire, most going different directions and looking like chickens without their heads attached to their bodies. The picture that popped up in my mind was gruesome and I shook it off to continue my search.

My head was turning from one side to the other, while I was also calling out for my siblings. I knew they've fled together in the anime, but things could've changed.

Then I saw three shadows coming my way and I waved my arm frantically. "Mari! Sonia! Han! I'm here!"

And running towards me were my sisters.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I wasn't embarrassed to admit how I started bawling in happiness. They were still alive and physically as well as I if not slightly better. Mentally, we'd recover, even if we'll never be quite the same as before this dark period that we've passed.

They led the way and I followed closely behind Sandersonia. "I told you!" was the only thing I cried out with a smile.

* * *

In the anime it was never revealed how they spent the time before they were found.

Now I knew.

We were hiding somewhere on the Red Line close to the ocean and trying to survive. There were no towns or cities, so we just wandered around, searching for food, water and shelter. We didn't find all of them many times, and the time that passed flew by so quickly.

At least I could feel the sunlight kissing my skin again. As well as the wind whipping my hair in my face, which made me spit out my dirty locks.

"Sis, I'm tired..." Mari mumbled as she tugged at my shirt, reminding me of the child she was supposed to be. Hadn't it not been for the nobles, she would still be the radiant child I had multiple memories of stored in my brain. "When will we find Amazon Lily?" she hadn't gone through the books the rest of us had. While she knew our island was somewhere away, she thought we could reach it if we tried.

The truth was, we would die from starvation at sea before we would ever reach it. Even if we found a small ship or a boat to use for transportation, we didn't possess a Log Pose and had next to no knowledge of the wild weather changes known on the Grand Line.

I wished for Nami's knowledge, but when has a wish come true? I had to trust in what I knew, questioning it yet always believing. Would they find us now too? I haven't changed anything. Nothing major. So they had to. It would make no sense if they didn't. I only followed their lead, listening to Hancock when she took the position of our leader. It suited me, because she would lead us to safety on her own way, even if she didn't know it yet. And would never realize it, because she thought it was _them_ finding _us_. But the truth is, if she would've chosen differently, we could've never been even found.

Determined, I sent her a smile. "We'll be safe and sound in no time, Marigold."

She believed my words and my heart swelled with a warm feeling. I took her hand in mine and followed Hancock's lead.

* * *

A small space in between two cliffs had enough space for all four of us to take shelter there.

We've stayed on the Red Line for a while...Two weeks, give or take. We survived on fish, some other animals we caught and the water collecting on the leaves of the trees close by. The rain served as a shower for us and I was never this happy about our metabolism. We were surviving and even growing stronger. The mistreatment and torture had done a number on us, but now that we could recover, I thought I've never felt better.

I knew I had felt better, before the kidnapping and enslavement. But it was distant. The happiness and peace. Maybe I would never truly feel so serene like I had that one moment on the ship, before things went to hell.

But I had faith. Destiny couldn't be only cruel to one person all the time, and if it was, I'd have to come to the conclusion it was trying to get me to act up. Which might or might not have already happened. _Goddamn Gooro, that little..._

What did my future have in store for me? I'll be faced with opportunities, challenges and tasks. No point in denying that. It was how I'll react and choose them. Some won't be even in my control to be chosen, they'll be forced upon me. It solemnly lied in my hands as well as in the hands of others I'll come across. One couldn't exist without the other. Like hatred and love. Ace loved Luffy, which is why he sacrificed himself to protect him. It broke Luffy's heart, yet he came out stronger. And Luffy hated Blackbeard, the reason Ace had been taken. Like in the anime Naruto, it was a never ending cycle. There was a line between it, but it was blurred, and one did not exist without the other.

It was causing me a headache by barely thinking about it.

I rather focused on my siblings.

My sisters...My lips turned upwards, but when I looked at Hancock, a frown settled instead of a smile.

She was already developing a tough exterior, when the three of us could see she was hardly dealing with what we had gone through. But everyone had their own way of coping. Even if she'll turn into a rather selfish person, she will still be my sister. A sensitive, concerned and ashamed of our past. I could understand, I also didn't want to talk about it. Hell, I wanted avenge us. How they took our dignity and shamed us for being what they caused us to be.

It never ceased to make me livid. I won't be able to simply walk away if anyone tried anything similar to what the Celestial Dragons had done to us. I would explode and release what had been building up over those years, and I had a feeling it won't be enough and I'd walk straight to Mariejois to slaughter them. No World Nobles meant no World Government. Or close. There would still be the Cipher Pols, the Gorosei and others never revealed to us.

But if I slaughtered them, what would I become? They needed proper punishment, like the ones in my previous life. And it could only be achieved through a revolution.

Monkey D. Dragon...I trusted him to throw the nobles off their high thrones and punish them accordingly to the crimes they committed.

Could I join the Revolutionary Army and help islands that were under the World Government and suffered under their control? I liked to think that I would join and help people suffering similar fates as mine, but...I knew that being in the shadows like Sabo had been all the time before the Dressrosa Arc wasn't how I would be proficient. Even if being in the shadows wouldn't endanger Amazon Lily if my origin became known.

And as I thought about the Revolutionary Army, I remembered how one of Blackbeard's crew-members got on one of their ships. I think I read that the base in Baltigo was attacked by Teach when Burgess, if it was that man's name, informed his captain of the base. It must've affected them on a grand scale, setting them back and maybe even destroying half or more of their military power. I couldn't allow that to happen. That Burgess won't come even close to Baltigo. And Blackbeard...I'll make sure he won't set them back. I've already chosen not to interfere when our kidnapping happened and I dearly regretted it.

But now that those thoughts slowly settled and I could feel the determination to do so, I wondered if I would ever be able to make a difference.

I'd need to be strong and not to forget careful as well as cunning on the same level as Blackbeard. And he already had a big head-start granted by being older and having more time.

Which meant I'd have to improve greatly. And have some sea-stone on my person when I meet him. He usually got very careless when fighting, I remember, as well as how he paid too much attention to useless conversing during fights. He loved to make his opponents angry to throw them off and become careless because he had to have physical contact with them to use his powers.

He was also ruthless and with no morals. He killed Thatch for a Devil Fruit, for power. And he made his whole crew attack an already wounded Whitebeard. He was a coward.

I despised such people, and since I've acted like one once, I wanted no such coward to become notorious and achieve his goals if he hurt so many people in the process.

Over my dead body.

* * *

And on a sunny day, I saw a ship close to where we were located near the ocean. I hoped it was who it was and ran to the edge of the cliff and waved my arms, yelling and jumping. I could feel that it was her. And I also felt my sisters running back from wherever they've gone to hunt for food.

 _"Old hag!"_

The shout I received back was worth it and I laughed, teary-eyed and slumping in relief.

We'd be going home.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Now that my babies are safe, phew.**

 **I really hope you liked it as much as I do, because I'm really glad they're finally going home and-** **They're going to meet Rayleigh. I'm positively swooning. He might be old, but...You get what I mean.**

 **And about Cassia's Conqueror's Haki. She has it because she is already creating ripples in the pond. Or should it be ocean? Since the One Piece world is mostly made of oceans...Whatever. I also chose to give it to her because not many give their characters Conqueror's Haki. Sure, they get the other two and are more proficient in one of those two than the other, but the cherry on top? Not many get it in these stories. And Don Chinjao did say that there are _numerous_ people with it in the New World.**

 **So I gave it to Cassia. I'm debating what to do with Hancock about it. She was mentioned having it, but never used it in the anime. You'll find out soon enough. Hopefully.**

 **I had time to write the previous chapter and this one, and maybe I'll update it before Friday. I'm not sure yet.**

 **Once again, I hope you liked it and that Cassia and my other little babies deserve to get a few reviews~**

 **Bye~**


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